The amount of beauty Kumaon holds is rare with any other place..and the pics posted here did not give u even 1% of its natural beauty. Visit Pindari, Sunderdunga, Munsiyari, Panchachula, kalamuni, Kausani whole tracking and view of Nanda Devi, Panchachula, Trishul from Kausani as well as Chaukori, Patal Bhuwaneshwar, forest of Mukhteswar, Saat taal and panorimic 70mm himalayan view of Tiffin top in Nainital, Ranikhet's landscape, Kala Dunghi saal forests and fall. This post is just useless as it has covered nothing about Kumaon's beauty. Even Jageshwar's pics posted here are not good as the main beauty of Jageshwar is the fact that entire temple complex has been built amid a dense thick deodar forest, a tree which is rare, always straight with beautiful leaf patterns and extremely long, symbol of high altitude and pure air quality which is recommended to those suffering from breathing and lungs diseases.
We hail from Kumaon. Still go there once in a while. Its a pretty place... in winter it snows. On a clear day, you can see himalayas. You can go to Nepal in your car & then come back in the same day. Nowadays, the 'bazaar' area is getting more crowded, but it still is pretty. Surprisingly, there is not much of poverty there. Everyone seems to be doing fine. Most households will have cars/bikes etc Cell phone is as common as the rest of India. Women going to their 'khets' to work, carry cells. Kumaon has one of the largest contribution to armed forces. Almost every family will have a member in the armed forces. My family has several. Kumaon' regiment is quite well known. Kumaonis are 'strict' hindus & followers of goddess Kali/Durga.
Re: Pretty Place
by Pavan C. Joshi on Jan 17, 2013 09:29 PM
Agree 100%.
Another angle, Kumaon is also very colonial, British not Mughal; and even the locals are 'anglicised' in a Hindu way. Kumaon has 2 international borders so the Army influence is rooted in Kumaon economy. Kumaon is no Swat Valley, Pakistan.
Sometimes, locals overdo the style bit with cell-phones for places where one can just scream the message, or relay-by-kid messaging.
More like a Himalayan Goa with all the Israeli, new wave hippies (ex-Apple Co. founder Steve Jobs and Ravi Shankar hung out in Kumoan). Blackberry Co. boss should take a trip too. Locals are very bollywood type, all fashion and latest gadgets but naive too. I'm going and my mate is planning to climb Nanga Parbat in neighbouring Garhwal.
Re: Pretty Place
by Murli Devi on Jan 19, 2013 09:44 PM
And Gangolihaat's Kali's temple is proof of that...even most people of Kumaon Regiment have been recruited from that area alone.
In Munsiyari you can see the Nanda Devi Temple which is exquisite. But please dont stay at Pandey Lodge. The sunset view there is good I agree. But the best place to stay is at KMVN and Bilju Inn. At Bilju Inn you really get value for money, pleasure and food.
Whether it is Kashmir or Kanyakumari or this Kumaon, one thing is common! Where ever you see a temple, you cannot see the deity! You only see a pujari standing before the deity!!!
